Join us in this episode featuring the profound art of Mark Steven Greenfield, whose work delves into the African American experience, historical stereotypes, and social justice. Discover his two thought-provoking series, HALO and Black Madonna, which reimagine influential Black figures as saintly icons and challenge the narratives of white supremacy. Through a rich tapestry of stories and imagery, Greenfield invites us to explore the transcendental divinity within every black face. Listen as he shares his journey of using art to deconstruct stereotypes, preserve history, and inspire change. 

We present Los Angeles Art Critic Shana Nys Dambrot and African American visual artist Mark Steven Greenfield discussing his exhibition from the Ronald Silverman Gallery at Cal State LA, recorded by L.A. Art Documents. We also feature Yoruba DUNDUN Talking drum ensemble, and an excerpt from a PBS show featuring Greenfield called Craft in America. 

For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

Resources/Articles:
L.A. Art Documents YouTube: https://youtu.be/IMFtfhAdJM4?si=gcXNAZfIYh38QStd 

PBS Craft in America: https://www.pbs.org/video/mark-steven-greenfield-his-work-qakt1c/ 

Yoruba DUNDUN Talking Drum Ensemble: https://youtu.be/F0L2fhqFzKU?si=xFJMJ9axI-p9nV7V 


Mark Steven Greenfield is an African American visual artist from Los Angeles [https://www.markstevengreenfield.com/]. His work deals primarily with the African American experience and in recent years has focused on the effects of stereotypes on U.S. culture stimulating much-needed and long overdue dialog on issues of race. He has been exhibited extensively throughout the United States as well as internationally. He has served on multiple arts and community boards and received a long list of awards, accolades, and residencies over the years.

Shana Nys Dambrot features a weekly substack called 13Things LA [https://hijinxarts.substack.com/]. She has been Arts Editor for the L.A. Weekly, and a contributor to the Village Voice, Flaunt, Artillery, and other culture publications. She studied Art History at Vassar College, and is the recipient of the 2022 and 2024 Mozaik Future Art Writers Prize, the 2022 Rabkin Prize for Art Criticism, and the LA Press Club National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Critic of the Year award for 2022. Her surrealist novel Zen Psychosis (Published by Griffith Moon) was released in 2020. Her personal substack is https://substack.com/@shananys 


Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes a column on PBS SoCal called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.




Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 238
Photo credit: Detail of Mark Steven Greenfield painting “The French Solution” from the Black Madonna Series

Revolutionary Icons: The Power of Black Madonnas and Folk Saints with Artist Mark Steven Greenfield

In this episode, we delve into the controversial and complex world of deep seabed mining. We feature a panel of experts from the Wonderful World Festival in Norway [https://www.wonderfulworld.no/] discussing the environmental, economic, and geopolitical implications of extracting minerals from the ocean floor. Marine Scientists, a documentary filmmaker, mining industry officials debate the need for and consequences from extracting rare earth minerals for renewable energy technologies. Discover the unknowns of the deep sea, the ethical considerations, and the potential impact on future generations. Join us as we explore whether the pursuit of these resources is truly necessary and the role of storytelling in shaping our understanding of the ocean's mysteries.

We start with an introduction by panel moderator, Anders Dunker.

Next are excerpts from a TED Talk by Sandor Mulsow, Marine Geologist from Chile. Also included is the trailer of the documentary film DEEP Rising, which he is featured in.
Sandor Mulsow TED Talk https://youtu.be/tIg1M0b43jQ?si=_SWZ6pZs-S9lSNA1 


Then we feature excerpts from the panel, that can be listened to in its entirety here…
The Deep Sea and the Mining Business: https://youtu.be/qPm1HdyvYaM?si=nw6sSrWN_8DP0A_Y 

For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio

Anders Dunker [https://www.andersdunker.com/] is a Norwegian writer and philosophical journalist based in Los Angeles and an associate professor at Oslo International School of Philosophy. In contributions across a range of publications, including Le Monde Diplomatique, Ny Tid, and the Los Angeles Review of Books, he writes about nature, technology, social change, and the planetary future. He is the editor of the book series 'Futurum' at Existenz Forlag and a regular contributor and board member in the Norwegian Writers’ Climate Campaign, as well as a collaborator in Technophany – A Journal of Philosophy and Technology. In 2019, he published Rediscovering Earth (Spartacus and O/R books). In 2022, his collection of essays, Thinking on the Planet, was published by Existenz Publishers. Unknown Territory is his third book.


Sandor Mulsow, Marine Geologist, long-time member of the International Seabed Authority, the UN's own body for safeguarding the health of the oceans. He is a professor at Universidad Austral de Chile, and was featured in the documentary film DEEP RISING. [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandor-mulsow-b98a2214/?originalSubdomain=cl] 

Other Members of the panel 

Matthieu Rytz, filmmaker, visual anthropologist, director of the documentary DEEP RISING [https://www.deeprising.com/]


Kaja Lønne Fjærtoft, marine biologist and Global Head of Policy at Deep Sea Mining at WWF Norway


Øystein Bruncell Larsen - COO Loke Marine Minerals of Norway


Rune Høyvik Rosnes,  Seabed Intervention technologist, economist and business developer, Deep C 


Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes a column on PBS SoCal called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  

Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 239

Deep Sea Mining and the Green Transition: Will Marine Ecosystems Survive?

In this episode, we explore the precarious existence of grizzly bears in the United States, focusing on their survival challenges and the intricate interplay between human development and wildlife conservation. From the historical land grabbing and habitat destruction to the current threats posed by climate change, we delve into the struggles of maintaining genetic diversity and the critical need for interconnected habitats. With insights from experts and advocates like Doug Peacock and Terry Tempest Williams, we discuss the pressing issues of delisting, trophy hunting, and the impact of climate change on grizzly bear populations. Join us as we examine the role of grizzlies in our ecosystem and the urgent need for coexistence to ensure their survival and ours.

We include clips from four documentaries on the grizzly bear.
Grizzly Country: https://youtu.be/2_XPRozm4CI?si=M7XpfUKCTuFUCB98 
Directed by Ben Moon, presented by Peak Design

The Beast of Our Time: Climate Change and Grizzly Bears: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cfuSIlEIyY
Produced by Save the Yellowstone Grizzly and Never Give Up Films

Peacock’s War: https://youtu.be/2KJ-ia0O71U?si=8aPXc2MG05sKCgMc 
Peacock's War, PBS Nature profiles Vietnam veteran Doug Peacock, who's battling to protect grizzly bears while dealing with war memories. Filmed in Montana's Glacier National Park.

Grizzly 399: Queen of the Tetons - PBS Nature Documentary: https://youtu.be/9gXa-bs_9i0?si=_BrGyekmC0h0rPIC 


For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

Resources/Articles:
https://www.counterpunch.org/2024/05/23/grizzly-hunting-is-trophy-hunting/

Doug Peacock, [https://dougpeacock.net/] born in 1942, is a U.S. author, filmmaker, naturalist, and Vietnam War veteran. He is best known for his work dedicated to grizzly bear recovery in the lower-48, his book Grizzly Years: In Search of the American Wilderness and serving as the model for the well-known character George Washington Hayduke in Edward Abbey's novel The Monkey Wrench Gang. 
His other books include ¡Baja!, Walking It Off: A Veteran’s Chronicle of War and Wilderness, and The Essential Grizzly: The Mingled Fates of Men and Bears (co-authored with Andrea Peacock). His latest book, Was It Worth It: A Wilderness Warrior’s Long Trail Home, won the 2023 National Outdoor Book Award, and a 2022 award for literature from the American Academy of Arts & Letters.
Doug is the co-founder of several conservation organizations including Round River Conservation Studies and Save The Yellowstone Grizzly.


Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes a column on PBS SoCal called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.




Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 241
Photo credit: National Park Service-CJ Adams

Grizzly Bears: Guardians of the Wild and Their Battle for Survival

In this festive episode, we celebrate the holiday spirit with classic literary readings from Dylan Thomas and Charles Dickens. Experience the magic of Thomas's "A Child's Christmas in Wales," a nostalgic and whimsical reflection on Christmas past, and dive into Dickens's "A Christmas Carol," a timeless tale of redemption and social critique. Join host Jack Eidt as we journey through these beloved works, capturing the essence of Christmases past and the hope for future celebrations.

We include clips from 
Dylan Thomas: A Child's Christmas In Wales: https://youtu.be/zFSs2IdDmuU
Recorded Feb 1952 in Steinway Hall in New York City

A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas: https://youtu.be/vT3skWqpUMA?si=12kYQhqExUsN8rsx 
Author: Charles Dickens, This was produced by the Mormon Channel, Created in 2015.

For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

Thanks to Janet Sager Knott for the recommendation on the tradition behind Dylan Thomas' Christmas reading.

Dylan Marlais Thomas (1914 - 1953) was a popular poet writing in English, and from Swansea, Wales. He is famous for his acutely lyrical and emotional poetry, as well as his turbulent personal life. The originality of his work makes categorization difficult. His works include the poems "Do not go gentle into that good night" and "And death shall have no dominion", as well as the "play for voices" Under Milk Wood. He also wrote stories and radio broadcasts such as the piece we share today, A Child's Christmas in Wales, as well as Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog.


Charles Dickens (1812 – 1870) was an English novelist, journalist, short story writer and social critic. He created some of literature's best-known fictional characters, and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His notable works include the piece we excerpt today, "A Christmas Carol," as well as "Oliver Twist," and "Great Expectations," all still quite popular today.


Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes a column on PBS SoCal called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.




Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  


Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 243
Photo credit: Prawny from Pixabay

Ghosts of Christmas Past and Future with Dylan Thomas and Charles Dickens

In this episode, host Jack Eidt discusses the ongoing wildfire crisis in Los Angeles and strategies for resilience with experts Richard Halsey and Lydia Poncé. We also include a clip on the climatic influence from Dr. Daniel Swain from UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability.

Support the Podcast: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url

Richard Halsey, director of the California Chaparral Institute [https://californiachaparral.org/index.html], shares insights on protecting communities by hardening homes instead of destroying natural habitats. Indigenous activist Lydia Poncé emphasizes community resilience and mutual aid in response to the devastation. The episode explores the impact of climate change, poor urban planning, and the need for sustainable development. 

We delve into the socio-political dynamics affecting relief efforts and the role of big corporations in the aftermath. Join us as we explore how to rebuild with compassion and foresight, as well as a comprehensive look at wildfire resilience and the role of Indigenous stewardship in preserving our ecosystems.


For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

Resources

California Chaparral Institute Statement on the Fires: https://chaparralwisdom.org/2025/01/10/how-to-respond-to-the-recent-wildfires/?utm_source_platform=mailpoet

Full interview with Richard Halsey: https://wilderutopia.com/ecojustice-radio/chaparral-californias-misunderstood-biodiversity-hotspot/

Advocacy: https://wilderutopia.com/environment/confronting-wildfire-retrofit-communities-not-forests/

Lever News Discussion on Preventing Wildfires, including quotes from Jack Eidt: https://www.levernews.com/the-architects-of-l-a-s-wildfire-devastation/



Richard Halsey is the Director of the California Chaparral Institute, a non-profit, research and educational organization dedicated to the preservation of California's native chaparral ecosystem and supporting the creative spirit as inspired by Nature. Mr. Halsey works with the San Diego Museum of Natural History and teaches natural history throughout the state. The second edition of his book, Fire, Chaparral, and Survival in Southern California, was published in 2008. 

Lydia Poncé (Mayo/Quechua) is an Indigenous Activist, Water Protector, co-founder of Idle No More SoCal. She hosts a show called Be a Better Relative on KPFK Los Angeles.


Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes a column on PBS SoCal called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.




Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://wilderutopia.com/ecojustice-radio/rising-from-the-ashes-wildfire-resilience-for-los-angeles-and-beyond/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Co-Host Jessica Aldridge
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 245

Rising from the Ashes: Wildfire Resilience for Los Angeles and Beyond

In this episode, we delve into the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, examining the underlying causes and the lessons we can learn. Economics Professor Richard Wolff critiques the blame game often played by political figures and industries, emphasizing instead the systemic issues rooted in profit-driven motives. We explore the impact of climate change and the urgent need for systemic change to prioritize safety over profit. Additionally, we gain insights from Dr. Michael Mann on the scientific community's understanding of climate change's role in exacerbating such disasters. The episode also touches on Lakota spirituality with David Little Elk, offering a unique perspective on humanity's connection to the elements and the importance of respecting nature.

For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

Sources:
Wolff Responds: "The Lesson California's Fires Should Teach Us" Dated January 15, 2025 from Democracy at Work
https://x.com/profwolff/status/1879582067283132509 

Michael Mann on SiriusXM with Zerlina Maxwell Discussing California Wildfires (JAN 13 2025)

https://youtu.be/bH4bWFON--Y?si=u0avZazGFoqFaU2x 

David Little Elk Lakota Spirituality Fire People

https://youtu.be/n6bCO6_g7LM?si=ggho-tLq4Hp0dRhA 


Richard D. Wolff [https://www.rdwolff.com/] is Professor of Economics Emeritus, University of Massachusetts, Amherst and is currently a Visiting Professor in the Graduate Program in International Affairs of the New School University, New York City. Prof Wolff is the co-founder of Democracy at Work [https://www.democracyatwork.info/] and host of their nationally syndicated show Economic Update.

Dr. Michael E. Mann [https://michaelmann.net/] is Presidential Distinguished Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science at the University of Pennsylvania, with a secondary appointment in the Annenberg School for Communication. He also serves as Vice Provost for Climate Science, Policy, and Action and Director of the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability, and the Media (PCSSM).

David Little Elk, [https://wolakota7.com/] an Itazipco-Sicangu Lakota Sioux, is a Lakota Language and Spirituality Teacher, and a Spiritual Advisor and Consultant.



Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes a column on PBS SoCal called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.




Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 246
Photo credit: Josh Field via Pexels

Climate Crisis Ignites: Why L.A.'s Fires Are a Wake-Up Call

We pay tribute to the late Mike Davis to explore the ongoing ecological crises facing Southern California and the socio-political dynamics that shape our responses to disaster. This is an intellectual tour de force as Davis goes deep in this recording from 1995 at the architectural school SCI-Arc, where he taught at the time. He outlines the history of damage caused by natural disasters in Southern California. Popular culture seems fascinated with the destruction of Los Angeles, and most recent events have breathed life into that narrative. 

Support the Podcast via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url 

Davis discusses the complexity of California’s Mediterranean climate, arguing for a new “environmental epistemology.” He calls for a rethinking of California’s resource and disaster planning. Noting the extreme hydroclimatic shifts throughout California history, he suggests a disruption of capitalist hydraulic civilization in California is inevitable–and here we are. We are in serious need of an environmental rethink in any rebuilding–or rewilding–plans.

For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

More Mike Davis: https://wilderutopia.com/ecojustice-radio/tribute-to-the-late-urban-history-provocateur-mike-davis/

Sources:
Full show of Mike Davis 1995 Presentation from SCI-Arc https://youtu.be/evJpgKQ6YWU?si=oPJ_rzpI-45oIHys 

Mike Davis, who passed away in 2022, was a writer and urban theorist who is most known for his work demythologizing the fractured wild-urban landscape of Southern California. Once a meat cutter and a truck driver, he was Professor Emeritus at University of California, Riverside, a Macarthur Fellow, and the author of more than 20 books. He is best known for his investigations of power and social class in works such as City of Quartz: Excavating the Future in Los Angeles (1990) and Late Victorian Holocausts (2001). In this show we focus on his book, “The Ecology of Fear: Los Angeles and the Imagination of Disaster.”


Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes a column on PBS SoCal called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 247
Photo credit: Ecology of Fear cover

Mike Davis On Southern California’s Landscape of Disaster

As we head into times where rising temperatures, superstorms, and mega-fires dominate the headlines, what has happened to our disaster-averting solutions? In this episode, we explore 'The Carbon Conundrum' and rethink our relationship with nature. 

Join host Jack Eidt as he features a discussion with post-humanist philosopher Báyò Akómoláfé and environmental leader and author Paul Hawken, moderated by Alex Forrester, Board Member of the Schumacher Center for a New Economics and Co-Founder of Rising Tide capital. They delve into the failures of current climate strategies, the pitfalls of solutionism, and the importance of reconnecting with Traditional Ecological Knowledge. This enlightening conversation challenges listeners to reconsider their approaches to environmentalism and climate action.
 
Support the Podcast via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url

Paul Hawken [https://paulhawken.com/] starts ecological businesses, writes about nature and commerce. He has written nine books, including six national and NYT bestsellers: ‘Growing a Business’, ‘The Next Economy’, ‘The Ecology of Commerce’, ‘Blessed Unrest’, ‘Drawdown’, and ‘Regeneration’. His latest book, ‘Carbon, The Book of Life’, is available from Penguin RandomHouse in February 2025.

Paul is the founder of Project Drawdown and Project Regeneration (https://regeneration.org/), which is the world’s largest, most complete listing and network of solutions to the climate crisis. 

Báyò Akómoláfé  Ph.D., [https://www.bayoakomolafe.net/] rooted with the Yoruba people in a more-than-human world, is a posthumanist thinker, poet, teacher, public intellectual, essayist, and author of two books, These Wilds Beyond our Fences: Letters to My Daughter on Humanity’s Search for Home (North Atlantic Books) and We Will Tell our Own Story: The Lions of Africa Speak. Bayo Akomolafe is the visionary founder of The Emergence Network, a planet-wide networking project and inquiry at the edges of the Anthropocene that seeks to convene new kinds of responsivities, sensuous solidarities, and experimental practices for a posthumanist parapolitics. He currently lectures at Pacifica Graduate Institute, California. He sits on the Board of many organizations.

A frequent keynote speaker and guest lecturer, Dr. Akomolafe’s critically popular expression, “the times are urgent, let us slow down,” with which he attempts to frame new concepts (such as ontofugitivity, the Afrocene, iatropolitics, curapoiesis, white syncopation, ecocognitive assemblage theory, postactivism and parapolitics) that reframe and renaturalize human action, agency, and responsibility in an immanent, agonistic worlding of possibilities for life-death. 

Dr. Akomolafe is a Member of the Club of Rome and an Ambassador for the Wellbeing Economy Alliance. He is currently writing his third book, ‘An Ocean of Milk: Morality, Desire, and the Monster at the Edge of the World’.



Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes a column on PBS SoCal called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 249
Photo credit: Carbon book cover

The Carbon Conundrum: Rethinking Our Relationship with Nature

In this episode, we welcome back architect Carl Welty to discuss fire-resistant construction and alternative materials. With the increasing threat of wildfires, Carl shares his insights on regenerative design and the importance of working with nature to create resilient communities. Join us for an enlightening conversation on how we can rethink architecture to better protect our homes and environment.
 
Support the Podcast via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url 


Carl discusses the principles of passive solar design, which prioritize energy efficiency and thermal comfort without relying on mechanical systems. The conversation also addresses the current building codes and their evolution in response to recent wildfires. Carl highlights the significance of fire-resistant construction and the materials that can be utilized to enhance safety. He encourages listeners to consider alternative materials, such as steel framing, which offers advantages over traditional wood in terms of durability and fire resistance.
 
For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 
 
Check out our interview with Carl Welty from 2023: https://wilderutopia.com/ecojustice-radio/designing-architecture-and-landscapes-with-natures-ecological-wisdom/

Resources:
Modern homes generate 200x more smoke and burn 8x faster than 50 years ago:
https://www.ctif.org/news/200-times-more-smoke-and-8-times-faster-burning-rate-50-years-ago#:~:text=Kissner%20said%20today's%20house%20fires,has%20less%20than%20two%20minutes.
  
See an additional article that explains why modern homes burn down faster:
https://fsri.org/research/new-comparison-natural-and-synthetic-home-furnishings
  
“Wood Is Not the Climate-friendly Building Material Some Claim it to Be”
https://www.wri.org/insights/mass-timber-wood-construction-climate-change#:~:text=2)%20Harvesting%20wood%20is%20not,of%20using%20wood%20for%20construction.
  
Old Growth Wood: Old vs. New Growth Trees 
https://brenthull.com/article/old-growth-wood
  
Logging study reveals huge hidden emissions of the forestry industry
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2215913-logging-study-reveals-huge-hidden-emissions-of-the-forestry-industry/
  

Trees make Rain – there is Science now to Prove It!
https://www.learningfromnature.com.au/drought-proof-increasing-rainfall/

Carl Welty. Ecological Architect and Principal of Carl Welty Architects [https://carlweltyarchitects.com/]. has over 35 years of experience in the field of architecture and is based in Southern California. Carl's experience includes projects with difficult sites and complex structural requirements; a passive solar house that is Certified LEED Platinum; a Water Education campus that embodies important and timely water issues. He designs buildings that are twice as energy-efficient as typical green buildings by incorporating simple, time-tested, climate-appropriate design principles.

  
Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes a column on PBS SoCal called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.
  

Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 250
Photo credit: Carl Welty Architects-Wild Heritage Partners

Building Resilience: Fire-Resistant Design for a Safer Future

In this episode, host Carry Kim engages with Maya Khosla, a wildlife biologist, writer, poet, and filmmaker, to discuss the intricate relationship between fire and forest ecosystems. Together, they explore the regeneration of giant sequoias after wildfires and the importance of embracing fire as a catalyst for biodiversity rather than a destructive force. Maya shares her experiences documenting post-fire environments and the vital role they play in supporting wildlife. This episode invites listeners to rethink their perceptions of fire and its impact on nature, emphasizing the need for a deeper understanding of our interdependence with the environment.


What are the potentials for responding to and relating with fire in a balanced and beneficial versus fearful and apprehensive way? Because fire is feared by many and much misunderstood, post-fire or snag forests are often clear-cut or heavily logged, and then turned into biomass or wood pellets burned for electricity. Living trees that are recovering post-fire can also be cut; trees are sometimes wrongly cut in anticipation of fire. Snag forests are a precious habitat, supporting the intricacies of restoration and biodiversity in the wake of fire; assisting in the thriving of many species, from fungi to black-backed woodpeckers, owls, weasels, bobcats, bears and countless more.

For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 


RESOURCES
Three "Minute notes" about Chad Hanson's work:
Taxpayer dollars: https://vimeo.com/806625688 - taxpayer dollars
Woodpeckers, homemakers: https://vimeo.com/806627213 - woodpeckers, homemakers
Regeneration: https://vimeo.com/806623485 


Maya Khosla [https://www.mayakhosla.com/], a biologist and writer with training as a toxicologist, has spent thousands of hours hiking, backpacking, and documenting forests. Working in collaboration with other scientists, she recently investigated the astonishing post-fire regeneration of giant sequoias in Nelder Grove and Redwood Mountain Grove. As Sonoma County Poet Laureate (2018-2020), she brought Sonoma’s communities together to heal through gatherings, field walks, and shared writing after the wildfires. Her awards include the 2023 Fund for Wild Nature Grassroots Activist Award, the 2020 Environmentalist of the Year Award (Sonoma County Conservation Council, SCCC), and the 2020 PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award. After surveying forests of the Sierra Nevada, she created a short documentary film, Searching for the Gold Spot [https://www.mayakhosla.com/searching-for-the-gold-spot], about wild places that experience rejuvenation and supporting high biodiversity after wildfire – where they are not logged. Her work has been featured in For the Wild, and in the film Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire.


Carry Kim, Co-Host of EcoJustice Radio. An advocate for ecosystem restoration, Indigenous lifeways, and a new humanity born of connection and compassion, she is a long-time volunteer for SoCal350, member of Ecosystem Restoration Camps, and a co-founder of the Soil Sponge Collective, a grassroots community organization dedicated to big and small scale regeneration of Mother Earth.


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  

Executive Producer and Intro: Jack Eidt
Hosted by Carry Kim 
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats

Episode 251
Photo credit: Maya Khosla

The Wild After Wildfire: Evolving our Response to Fire with Maya Khosla

EcoJustice Radio presents environmental and climate stories from a social justice frame, featuring voices not necessarily heard on mainstream media.

Our purpose is to amplify community voices, broaden the reach of grassroots-based movements, and inspire action. We investigate solutions for social, environmental, and climate issues with an eye to advance human health, steward wild landscapes, and solve the climate crisis across the USA and the world.

Featured weekly on KPFK Los Angeles and KPFT Houston, and found on all major podcast apps. We are nationally syndicated through the Pacifica Network and PRX and heard on public radio stations across the US and downloaded in over 25 countries.

Co-hosts Jack Eidt, Carry Kim, and Jessica Aldridge present a broad range of perspectives: land defenders and water protectors; Indigenous leaders, front/fenceline community spokespeople; youth organizers; ecosystem and land stewards; regenerative farmers and permaculture specialists; spiritual and faith leaders; environmental health advocates and practitioners; documentary filmmakers; climate scientists; and political decision makers.

EcoJustice Radio [http://EcoJusticeRadio.org] is produced by SoCal350.org since 2017. 

Tune in live to KPFK Radio Thursdays from 4 to 5 PM (PT) at 90.7 FM Los Angeles, 98.7 FM Santa Barbara, 93.7 FM North San Diego, 99.5 FM Ridgecrest-China Lake, or KPFK.org. 

We also are featured on KPFT Houston from 4 to 5 PM (CT) at 90.1 FM or KPFT.org and other public radio stations on the Pacifica Network.

New tracks tagged #EcoJustice